Surgical suction drainage and irrigation tube



R. C. CHAFFlN SURGICAL SUCTION DRAINAGE AND IRRIGATION TUBE June 16,1942.

Filed May 6, 1940 v 7!!!! l Fill/I11 lll'i Patented June 16, 1942 PATOFFICE SURGICAL SUCTION DRAINAGE AND IRRIGATION TUBE Rafe 0. Chafiin,Los Angeles, Calif Application May 6, 1940, Serial No. 333,449

4 Claims.

This invention relates to means for draining and irrigating surgicalcavities, etc. and relates more particularly to an improved surgicaldrainage and irrigation tube. A general object of this invention is toprovide a safe and particularly effective suction drainage tube andirrigation tube.

Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical drainage tubethat operates to effectively remove blood, pus, mucous, and other liquidsecretions from surgical cavities and operation wounds, without creatinga negative pressure in the cavity or wound and therefore without drawingtissue into the tube. The device of the invention may be termed asuction drainage tu-be when designed or used for drainage purposes butdoes not in any case create an undesirable negative pressure in the bodycavity or wound.

Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical drainage tubein which the air or other fluid supplied from an external source isdirected through the tube in such a manner that it operates by a mild orpermissive induction action to carry away the blood, pus, or secretionsand cannot create an undesirable or harmful negative pressure in thewound or cavity,

Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical tube of thecharacter referred to that is equally successful and operative as adrainage tube and an irrigation tube operating in both cases in a mild,yet efiective, manner without drawing on the tissues or washing againstthe tissues with any appreciable force.

Another object of this invention is to provide a surgical tube of thecharacter referred to that will not clog or close against the flow ofthe drainage or irrigation fluid and that is fully operative in veryconfined places.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of typical preferredforms and applications of the invention, throughout which descriptionreference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is aview similar to Fig. 1 with the inner or active portion of the deviceappearing in longitudinal cross section. Fig. 3 is an enlargedtransverse taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig 1, illustrating an alternative form of the invention.Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the tube illustrated in Fig. 4with the outer or active portion of the tube in longitudinal crosssection, and Fig. 6 is an detailed sectional view enlarged transversedetailed sectional view take as indicated by line 6-6 on Fig. 5.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the invention may be said to comprise,generally, a tube'body It] shaped to have two fluid conducting arms A inside by side relation, fluid inlet and discharge means II at thejuncture ofthe arms A, and by pass means l2 connecting the arms.

The instrument or device of the present invention may be formed from alength of flexible resilient tubing such as rubber tubing, or ifdesired, may be molded or otherwise formed of flexible resilientmaterial. When the body ill of the device is formed of a length ofrubber tubing the tubingis folded or bent back upon itself at a pointbetween its ends to have the two tube arms A. The shaping or bending ofthe tube in this manner provides the device with an end l3 that isrounded or convex and that has somewhat flattened sides. The two tubearms A extend in side by side relation for a substantial distance andmay have free or convergent outer portions l4 adapted for convenientconnection with the fluid supply means and fluid discharge means. Thetube arms A may be cemented, vulcanized or otherwise secured togetherwhere they are in parallel relation. For example, the grooves l5occurring where the arms A are parallel may be occupied by cement orvulcanized rubber l6 as best illustrated in Fig. 3. The cement or rubberIt connects the arms A and serves to maintain the arms in side by siderelation to constitute a single elongate tube structure. The arms A arecontinuously tubular, having central longitudinal passages I! which maybe round or cylindrical and uniform in diameter. The passages H are ofthe same diameter in the construction illustrated, it being apparentthat they may be unequal in size if desired. It will be observed thatthe passages ll of the arms A are separated by the joined together wallsof the tubes A that form a central partition it. It will be seen thatthe body In of the surgical tube may be inexpensively made from a singlelength of suitable rubber tubing.

The fluid inlet and discharge means is provided at the active end of thebody It, that is, at the part l3. The means I l includes two laterallyfacing openings IS in the opposite sides of the end part E3. Theopenings I9 are diametrically opposite and of like size andconfiguration. While the openings l9 may be formed in any selectedmanner I have found it desirable to provide a transverse opening ornotch in the wall of the tube at the point where the tube is to be thatextends across the end part I 3 and continues a for some distance alongthe outer sides of the arms A. The number, spacing and size of theopenings 20 may be varied as conditions may require. The endmostopenings 20 of the series or row may be in planes below or rearward ofthe openings l9 and the end of the partition I8.

The by-pass means I2 is a feature of the invention operating to assurethe efiective operation of the tube and yet prevent the development ofexcessive negative pressures at the end of the tube when it is used as adrainage tube and to prevent a harsh positive flow and excessivepressure when the device is used as an irrigation tube. The by-passmeans l2 serves to connect the passages I! of the tube arms A so thatthe fluid may flow or by-pass from one passage I! to the other,lessening the inductive action and the resultant negative pressure whenthe device is used as a drainage tube and preventing the development ofexcessive pressures at the exterior of the device when the device isused as an irrigation tube.

The by-pass means |2 comprises the space or chamber 2| that occurs inthe end part l3 at the juncture of the passages 11. The chamber 2| formsan unbroken and unrestricted space or fluid duct connecting the twopassages H. The fluid handled, whether used for drainage or irrigationpurposes, is free to flow through the chamber 2| from one passage IT tothe other, within the confines of the device, so that unwanted negativepressures and superatmospheric pres sures cannot be developed in thesurgical cavity. The fluid when utilized for drainage purposes passesthrough the chamber 2| from one arm A to the other to flow past theopenings I9 and 20 and to flow through the openings. The drainage fluidpassing through the chamber 2| draws or induces the blood, secretions,etc. from the surgical cavity by a mild inductive action and in somecases may pass through the openings l9 and 20 into the surgical cavityto return through the openings to the chamber 2!. the continuous,unrestricted chamber 2| connecting the passages prevents a developmentof excessive negative pressure in the operation wound or surgical cavityand yet provides an eflicient drainage action. Where water or otherfluid is passed through the tube for irrigation purposes it is free tocontinue through the chamber 2| to pass from one arm passage ii to theother and, of course, is free to dis-charge through the openings l9 and20 and to re-enter the openings. The irrigation fluid cannot build up anexcessive pressure in the surgical cavity as the chamber 2| remains openat all times to allow a continuous free discharge.

The by-pass means I2 may further include one or more lateral openings 22in the partition 58. In the particular case illustrated there is asingle opening 22 spaced from the inner extremity of the partition IS.The opening 22 serves todirectly connect the passages I1 permitting aflow In any case bent and by bending the tube to bring the arms of fluidfrom one passage to the other and assisting the chamber 2| in theby-passing of the fluid. If for any reason the flow through the chamber2| becomes lessened or restricted the fluid, whether irrigation fluid ordrainage fluid, is free to pass through the opening 22 so that anundesirable pressure condition cannot build up at the end of the device.It is important to locate the opening 22 so that it cannot become closedunder any condition of use.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawing illustrate an alternative or modifiedform of the invention comprising a tube body l0 having arms A in side byside relation, a fluid discharge and inlet means N and a connectingmeans or by-pass means |2 joining the tube arms A.

The body I0 and its arms A may be the same as in the other form of theinvention. The fluid discharge and inlet means comprises openings l9 atthe opposite sides of the end part I3. The openings w may be identicalwith the openings |9 above described. In this construction the ports oropenings 20 in the part |3 may be eliminated.

The means l2 for connecting the passages I! for the free flow of thedrainage or irrigation fluid comprises the chamber 2| in the part I3 asin the previously described form of the invention. In the constructionillustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the means |2 further includes a notchor slot 30 in the partition It! for by-pa-ssing orconducting the fluidfrom one passage ll to the other. The slot 30 extends longitudinallyfrom the extremity of the partition i3 and is of selected width andlength. It will be seen that the slot 30 assists the chamber 2| inby-passing or conducting the irrigation fluid or drainage fluid from onepassage I! to the other.

The structure illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 cperates in the samemanner as the previously described form of the invention. When thedevice is used as a drainage tube, air or other fluid is passed throughone tube arm A to discharge through the other arm. The fluid isdelivered to the chamber 2| and passes through the chamber to dischargefrom the discharge arm A. The

fluid flowing through the chamber 2| past the openings Ii! induces thefluids from the surgical cavity or operation wound into the tube andcarries the fluids away through the discharge arm A. In this connectionit is to be observed that the drainage fluid draws the blood,secretions, etc. into the tube'by a very mildinduction action and doesnot create a negative pressure in the surgical cavity. There is always afree passage through the chamber 2| and the slot 33 and a negativepressure cannot build up in the surgical cavity. 'Where water or otherfluid is passed through the tube for irrigation purposes it is free toflow through the chamber 2| from one passage H to the other and, ofcourse, may discharge through the openings EQ The irrigation fluidcannot create or build up excessive pressure and cannot have a harshwashing action because it has a free unrestricted flow through thechamber 2| and slot 30 which are confined within the tube structure. Thesurgical tube of the invention constructed as shown in Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive, or as in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, is inexpensive and durableand is efficient in operation.

Having described onlytypical preferred forms and applications of myinvention; I do not wish to'be limited or restrictedtc the specificdetails herein set forth, but Wish to reserve to myself "any variationsor modifications that-mayappear to those skilled in the art or fallwithin the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A surgical suction drainage tube comprising an elongate flexible bodydivided into two longitudinal passages one for connection with a sourceof negative pressure, the other for admission of fluid, the tube havingan outer end portion continuing from the body forming a chamber whichjoins the passages of the body for flow of fluid therebetween, and apartition in said chamber directing the flow between the passages to theforward end of the chamber, there being a plurality of openings in saidouter end portion to admit matter into the chamber to be carried by theflow of fluid therethrough, there being a bypass opening in thepartition for bypassing fluid from one passage to the other in the eventthe end portion becomes distorted or material in the chambers tends tostop flow between the passages.

2. A surgical suction drainage tube comprising an elongate flexible bodydivided into two longitudinal passages one for connection with a sourceof negative pressure, the other for admission of fluid, the tube havingan outer end portion continuing from the body forming a chamber whichjoins the passages of the body for flow of fluid therebetween, and apartition in said chamber directing the flow between the passages to theforward end of the chamber, thereibeing a bypass opening in thepartition for bypassing fluid from one passage to the other, and aplurality of inlet openings in the outer end portion located outwardlybeyond the said bypass.

3. A surgical tube comprising an elongate flexible tubular body havingits wall cut away at one side at a point intermediate its ends forming anotch in the body communicating with the interior of the body, the bodybeing bent at said notch so the portions of the body adjacent the notchare in side by side relation and so the said notch is in the crotch ofthe bend forming an open passage between the joined ends of saidportions of the body and also forming spaced inlet openings into saidpassage, the said portions of the body being joined in said side by siderelation.

4. A surgical tube comprising an elongate flexible tubular body havingits wall cut away at one side at a point intermediate its ends forming anotch in the body communicating with the interior of the body, the bodybeing bent at said notch so the portions of the body adjacent the notchare in side by side relation and so the said notch is in the crotch ofthe bend forming an open passage between the joined ends of saidportions of the body and also forming spaced inlet openings into saidpassage laterally of the body, the said portions of the body beingjoined in said side by side relation, there being a bypass openingthrough the adjoining walls of said body portions joining the saidportions of the body to bypass fluid from one of said portions to theother before it reaches the passage formed by the notch.

RAFE C. CHAFFIN.

